This week we welcomed Eileen Keating from the Cornell archives. I share the sentiment that this was one of the most interesting Rose Cafes that I had been to, since I got to learn so much about Cornell’s history that I had honestly not previously cared, nor though to learn about. After learning about the contributions that Flora Rose and Martha Van Rensselaer made to further women’s rights and education, I now hold more pride in being a Rose resident. However the most interesting part of the talk was learning about the College of Human Ecology’s history, originally the College of Home Economics. The fact that Van Rensselaer created a method which allowed for women to get access to higher education at no cost speaks about Van Rensselaer’s influence, in addition to sheds light on her contribution to the women’s rights movement.

I also found the artifacts that Eileen Keating passed around in the cafe very engaging. She gave us a glimpse into how the College of Home Economics used to be. Some of the documents showed the curriculum, which included how to operate efficiently and aid women on farms.

Overall, I thought that this talk was incredibly fascinating. I had a vague understanding that Cornell was one of the earlier colleges which offered admissions to women, but before this talk that idea remained vague. After hearing about the specific accomplishments of this school with regards to advancing women’s rights, I am even more proud to be a Cornellian.